• Source:JND
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In a disturbing incident that has triggered diplomatic concern, a woman from Arunachal Pradesh has alleged that she was detained and harassed for nearly 18 hours at Shanghai’s Pudong Airport after Chinese immigration officials refused to recognise her Indian passport.

The woman, identified as Pema Wang Thongdok, said officials declared her passport “invalid” because it mentioned Arunachal Pradesh as her birthplace. Thongdok, who currently resides in the UK, was travelling from London to Japan on November 21 and had a scheduled three-hour transit halt in Shanghai. What was meant to be a routine checkpoint soon escalated into a prolonged ordeal.

According to her posts on X, Chinese immigration officers stopped her after scanning her documents and told her that her birthplace was “part of China”. “They said my Indian passport is invalid because I was born in Arunachal Pradesh,” she wrote, claiming that officials mocked her and insisted she should “apply for a Chinese passport”.

18-Hour Ordeal, Travel Blocked

Thongdok alleged that she was denied food, basic facilities and any clarity on her situation. She said China Eastern Airlines staff joined immigration officials in ridiculing her and blocking her onward travel, despite her valid Japanese visa.

Her passport was reportedly withheld, and she was told she would not get it back unless she purchased a fresh ticket on China Eastern Airlines. By then, her original flight had already departed, leading to financial losses, missed reservations, and emotional distress.

The situation became so restrictive that she could not freely move around the transit zone or rebook her journey. With no option left, she contacted a friend in the UK who reached out to the Indian Consulate in Shanghai. Indian officials later intervened and helped her board a late-night departure.

Appeals To PM Modi, Demand For Accountability

Calling the episode a “direct insult to India’s sovereignty”, Thongdok has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior government officials, urging a formal protest to Beijing. She has also sought disciplinary action against the immigration and airline personnel involved, compensation for her losses, and assurances for the safety of all travellers from Arunachal Pradesh.

The incident has sparked strong reactions online, with many users pointing to recurring Chinese attempts to challenge India’s territorial claims.

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India’s Stand Firm

New Delhi has consistently rejected China’s stance on Arunachal Pradesh. Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs criticised Beijing for issuing new Chinese names for 27 locations in the state, calling the move “vain and preposterous”. Reiterating India’s position, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said, “Creative naming will not alter the undeniable reality that Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India.”

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The latest incident is expected to add fresh strain to the already tense India-China ties, with calls growing for a strong diplomatic response.

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